Kamil Stoch wins normal hill ski jumping gold for Poland!

The results are in, and Stoch finishes with a combined 278 points, ahead of Prevc with 265.3 and Norway’s Bardal with 264.1, which illustrates the extent of Stoch’s superiority. He wins the eighth and final gold medal of the day!

7.22pm GMT

… and he grasps it! He flies 103.5m, 2m further than anyone else in this final, and will win by a handsome margin.

7.21pm GMT

The normal hill world champion, Anders Bardal of Norway, is the penultimate man off the normal hill. And it’s not good enough! He had a single point over Prevc after round one, and can’t better him after round two. He still sits second, and will get bronze at least. Kamil Stoch of Poland, who did so well in round one, has gold in his grasp …

7.19pm GMT

Next up is Slovenia’s Peter Prevc, and he proper soars through fully 99m of air, wows the judges and lands in first place, with two to jump.

7.17pm GMT

I’m going jump-by-jump here. The first of the four, Michael Hayboeck, goes 98.5m which is good enough for second place. Austria sit first and second, with three to leap.

7.17pm GMT

Austria’s Thomas Diethart travels 98m, but the wind was going against him, and the judges liked his style, and he vaults ahead of Wellinger and into first place, with four men to jump.

7.15pm GMT

Andreas Wank travels only 97m and takes fifth place. Wellinger, 14th at the end of round one, remains at the top of the pile.

7.14pm GMT

Japan’s Noriaki Kasai, a 41-year-old veteran, leaps 100m and sits second. Unlikely to still be in the top three when it’s all over, but a decent effort. Apparently he’s intending to be back for another go in four years’ time. Andreas Wellinger of Germany continues to lead, as he has for quite a while.

7.11pm GMT

There will be no Russian medalist on the normal hill – Mikhail Maksimochkin sits just 21st after his final leap sees him travel a meagre 90.5m.

7.09pm GMT

So in this ski jumping you get some points for distance, and some points for jumping particularly handsomely, but at the moment they’re also knocking off a few points for wind compensation, just to make matters a little bit more confusing. We’ll have a small delay here while everything is double-checked in preparation for the final 10.

7.07pm GMT

It’s pretty close to crunch-time at the Russki Gorki ski jumping centre. A tepid jump from Jurij Tepes leaves 11 men still to leap.

Simon Ammann, who won this event in 2010, has jumped and will not get a medal tonight. He is currently just fourth.

7.02pm GMT

When I started writing that appalling half-joke Fannemel was at least winning. By the time I completed the thing he was second. Austria’s Gregor Schlierenzauer currently leads.

7.01pm GMT

It’s 11pm in Sochi and they’re still a-leapin’ and a-jumpin. Of the final 30, 13 have so far leapt with Norway’s Anders Fannemel currently leading. If he wins I imagine he’ll get lots of letters from admirers. They’d need whole lorries for Anders’ fan mail.

6.56pm GMT

Vladimir Putin looks absolutely delighted with Russia’s team figure skating gold, doesn’t he? Imagine what his face would look like had they come fourth.

Russian President Vladimir Putin poses with the Russian team after they won the team figure skating competition at the 2014 Winter Olympics. Photograph: David J Phillip/AP

6.51pm GMT

Severin Freund, even though his first jump ended with him sliding down the hill very much on his arse rather than his skis still outdid 20 other Olympic aspirants to qualify for the final. He won’t win, mind – he’s last of all those to have jumped so far.

6.49pm GMT

The final round of jumps has now started. Look out for this chap, lying in joint fifth position – it’s Germany’s Andreas Wank! I feel a good person, a well-rounded person, would not find his name amusing. I am not a good person.

Poland’s Kamil Stoch has just jumped 105.5m, a full 3m further than anyone else, for 142 points, a full 6.2pts more than anyone else, and is clearly the man to beat in this normal hill ski jumping business. And actually only 20 competitors are culled at this stage, with 30 progressing.

6.25pm GMT

When the last of the 50 jumpers have jumped, the worst 30 will be given a consoling hug and told their night is over, and the top 20 will battle it out for some medals.

6.23pm GMT

Germany’s Severin Freund falls on landing, but is fine. That tumble from Thomas Morgenstern incidentally, had itself come only a matter of weeks after this one.

6.19pm GMT

If this happened to me I’d be scarred for life. Thomas Morgenstern, on the other hand, is back within a month and currently lying 10th.

6.14pm GMT

So the luge is over, the skating is done, and focus switches to the normal hill. Italy’s Davide Bresadola was disqualified while I was looking at the luge, and Austria’s Michael Hayboeck currently leads with a leap of 101m for 133.4 points.

6.12pm GMT

This is what a very fast luger looks like when he luges.

Felix Loch of Germany in action during the men's singles Luge at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games. Photograph: Tobias Hase/EPA

6.10pm GMT

Loch’s animal screams suggest he’s quite excited about this whole Olympic champion thing. He’s only 24 – silver-medalist Albert Demchenko is 42, so if Loch can keep going as long as the Russian he could win another four golds. Which is a bit scary.

6.08pm GMT

A second successive gold for Germany's Felix Loch!

The 2010 champion has retained his title! He zips down the course a little bit faster than all the other people who zipped down the hill, and wins by nearly half a second!

6.06pm GMT

Albert Demchenko, Russia’s last hope of a gold medal, held a comfortable lead over Zöggeler after three rounds and extends it further with a super slide, and now holds the lead by nearly 0.8sec with only Felix Loch to go. He is guaranteed at least a silver.

6.04pm GMT

Italy’s Armin Zöggeler vaults into the lead in the luge, and is guaranteed a sixth Olympic medal. He took bronze in 1994, silver in 1998, gold in 2002 and 2006 and bronze again in 2010. He’s now 40, and ready to go out on a high.

6.02pm GMT

Semen Pavlichenko moves only into second place, with the top three sliders in the sport still to come, so is unlikely to get a medal. On the plus side, though, his first name is Semen.

5.59pm GMT

So focus now switches to the luge, where with four athletes to go Germany’s Andi Langenhan is in the lead.

5.58pm GMT

Russia take team ice dance gold!

Meryl Davis and Charlie White, completing the event, were “not perfect with their twizzles”, but still get 114.34, come first in the segment, earn the USA 10 points, suggest they might get themselves a gold when they’re back on the ice next week, and confirm their nation’s bronze medal in the team event. Russia take gold and Canada silver.

5.53pm GMT

Just seven more sliders to slide in the men’s singles luge. Austria’s Reinhard Egger is in the lead, but it’s the taking part that counts, of course. Or as the great Nick Berry put it, Every Luger Wins.

5.46pm GMT

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir dance very well indeed for Canada and will get a silver medal each for their trouble.

5.44pm GMT

There are no fewer than 50 people jumping, 14 of whom have already had a go. Of them, Roman Koudelka of the Czech Republic leads with a leap of 98.5m and 112.5 points.

5.42pm GMT

We now have three events ongoing concurrently, for the first time since I took over the liveblog four hours ago. Over on the normal hill, you see, there’s some jumping happening.

5.41pm GMT

Back on the ice, Russia’s Elena Ilinykh and Nikita Katsalapov get 103.48 and take the lead, with Canada and the USA to come.

After the course’s hosing-down, the first two sliders to go down the luge course duly go faster than anyone before them. Germany’s David Möller leads.

5.38pm GMT

Meanwhile, back by the burning cauldron, the Dutch-themed medal ceremony for the men’s 5,000m speed skating has taken place. Not only were all three medalists Dutch, they were presented with their gongs by King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.

In the luge, there’s a bit of a delay while someone runs down the course carrying a hose, spraying water around a bit. Presumably this will help the next few sliders to go a little bit faster than the last few?

5.29pm GMT

Italy’s Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri dance to music from the 1968 Larry Olivier classic Romeo and Juliet. Some British readers might know it better as the theme from Our Tune on Simon Bates’ Radio 1 show of yesteryear.

Updated at 5.30pm GMT

5.26pm GMT

Cathy and Chris Reed, born and raised in America to a Japanese mother, skate to the music of strategy video game Total War: Shogun 2. They get 76.24, which isn’t very good.

A still from the video game Total War: Shogun 2. Photograph: screengrab

5.22pm GMT

We’re vaguely approaching the important part of the final run of the men’s luge, with Latvia’s Inars Kivlenieks currently leading the field.

5.19pm GMT

Tonight’s final ice skating element is the free dance. Japan’s Cathy and Chris Reed go first, then Italy, Russia, Canada and finally the USA. It looks very unlikely that there will be any change to the current standings, with Russia already having wrapped up gold, second-placed Canada with silver in the bag sitting as they are six points clear of America, whose five-point lead over fourth-placed Italy is enough to secure bronze. The best routine will get 10 points, the worst will get six, so there’s a maximum four-point turnover. This is just for fun, basically.

5.12pm GMT

Britain’s bronze-medal-winning starlet Jenny Jones has been back in the spotlight, collecting her lump o’metal at the medal ceremony. Other medalists were involved.

Silver medalist Enni Rukajarvi of Finland, gold medalist Jamie Anderson of the United States and bronze medalist Jenny Jones of Great Britain with their women's snowboard slopestyle Olympic medals. Photograph: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

5.00pm GMT

The lead in the men’s luge is changing hands with enormous regularity, with Mitchel Malyk of Canada currently ahead of the field. Felix Loch, who was in front after the third run, goes last of all.

4.54pm GMT

Lipnitskaya gets an immense 141.51, and Russia get another 10 points to add to their total. USA get nine, Italy eight, Japan seven and Canada six. Russia lead by 11 points, now cannot be caught and will receive their first gold medal of these Games in an hour or so.

Yulia Lipnitskaya is just 15, and is going to end today with a gold medal. A fine skate has the crowd on their feet, and Russia are going to have this all but wrapped up with an event to go. “Technically it is outstanding,” says Robin Cousins. She wore red, and skated to John Williams’ orchestral soundtrack to Schindler’s List.

4.49pm GMT

There’s a new leader in the men’s luge, and it’s Japan Hidenari Kanayama. Just the 30 athletes to come, first of whom is Bruno Banani.

Updated at 4.49pm GMT

4.47pm GMT

Marchei gets 112.51, and seems absolutely delighted about it. Now, though, Yulia Lipnitskaya to complete this penultimate round. No pressure, but this guy isn’t in the house to see Russia come second.

Marchei is a very elegant skater, I think. Her season best is 107.87, but is about to be significantly improved upon, surely.

4.40pm GMT

Now Valentina Marchei takes the ice, dancing to Nyah by Hans Zimmer, from the soundtrack of Mission Impossible II. The final run of the men’s luge, meanwhile, is well under way with Norway’s Jo Alexander Koppang the fastest of the five runners so far.

4.37pm GMT

Suzuki gets 112.33, pleasing rather than exciting and only just ahead of Kaetlyn Osmond, who fell over. And here’s a picture of the impressive Gracie Gold.

Gracie Gold of the United States competes in the Team Ladies Free Skating at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics. Photograph: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

4.34pm GMT

Japan’s Akiko Suzuki has Sue Barker sighing with appreciation with her routine, performed to Music of the Night from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera.

4.29pm GMT

Matthew Stockman has got to be fairly chuffed with this shot. No margin for error there at all.

And Gold gets … um … well … she gets to sit around for an unusual amount of time before being awarded 129.38. Her season best before tonight was 117.20, so that’s quite the improvement.

4.25pm GMT

America’s Gracie Gold makes a play for the Russian vote by dancing to Tchaikovsky – Sleeping Beauty, to be precise. She then makes a play for the judges’ vote by, well, skating really well.

4.21pm GMT

This is how the Canadians reacted to Kevin Reynolds’ score. Kaetlyn Osmond got one half-hearted back-slap.

Kevin Reynolds of Canada reacts with fellow team members as his result is announced in the men's team free skate figure skating competition at the 2014 Winter Olympics. Photograph: Darron Cummings/AP

4.19pm GMT

Kaetlyn Osmond did OK. She did well enough to make an amateur viewer think she did very well enough – but for one fall – but not well enough to convince the experts. The judges give her 110.73.

4.15pm GMT

There continues to be some controversy over the generosity of Plyushchenko’s scores. Consensus among ice skating experts who aren’t official Olympic judges is that he was perhaps third best of the men. Consensus among the judges was that he was the No1. It’s unlikely to effect the result in any way, but it’s the eternal problem with events judged on artistic merit.

4.09pm GMT

The women’s free programme is about to get under way. Canada’s Kaetlyn Osmond goes first, then Gracie Gold of the USA, Akiko Suzuki of Japan and Valentina Marchei of Italy, leaving Yulia Lipnitskaya to finish things off.

4.08pm GMT

Here’s your essential Winter Olympics royalty update. Princess Anne is also in evidence, currently watching the ice skating clad in a Team GB Russian-style fur hat, but I have no picture to show you.

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands at the Men's Speed Skating 5000m on Saturday. Photograph: John Berry/Getty Images

3.59pm GMT

The women’s team free skate should start in five minutes or so, and the final round of the men’s singles luge in half an hour. The final event of the team figure skating, the ice dance, follows in an hour and a little bit. So that’s where we are.

3.54pm GMT

With all that skating excitement I took my eye of the luge-ball. Felix Loch still leads, but the big news is that Bruno Banani is 30th. Te-An Lien of Chinese Taipei just completed the third round, and he’s in last place (39th, to be precise).

3.51pm GMT

Japan’s Tatsuki Machida is awarded 165.85 – though I thought he looked very stylish – meaning that Plyushenko wins the free programme and earns his team 10 points. Canada get nine, Japan eight, the USA seven and Italy six. The overall standings, then, with two events to go:

Russia: 57Canada: 50USA: 41Japan: 38Italy: 37

3.48pm GMT

Perhaps the most memorable thing about that women’s 7.5km sprint biathlon was precisely how knackered the athletes were when they finished. Very knackered indeed, in case you’re wondering. So here’s Anastasiya Kuzmina, who went on to win gold, looking very controlled on the shooting range…

The best thing about Kevin Reynolds’ routine was that he made his costume himself. While blindfolded. I don’t know that for sure, I’m guessing based on its endearing school-fancy-dress-competition amateurishness. Please don’t put me on the front page of Canadian Bild.

Kevin Reynolds of Canada gestures after competing in the men's team free skate figure skating competition at the Iceberg Skating Palace during the 2014 Winter Olympics. Photograph: Vadim Ghirda/AP

3.41pm GMT

Plyushchenko gets 168.20, better than Canada’s Kevin Reynolds by a tiny margin and well ahead of Brown. Robin Cousins is unimpressed, but it would take a brave judge – and one with a good disguise and well-planned exit strategy – to mark him down here.

3.39pm GMT

Plyushchenko completes his routine, to a standing ovation from a crowd he might as well be personally puppeting. Robin Cousins isn’t blown away, though, and thinks Jason Brown outskated him.

Reynolds gets 167.92, the best of the three scores so far (Jason Brown got 153.67, and Paul Parkinson 121.23). But this is all about Plyushchenko, who is currently mid-routine. His music appears to be called “Best of Plyushchenko”.

3.31pm GMT

Canada’s Kevin Reynolds completes his routine on the ice, with a bit of a stumble on the way. Which means that Russia are on next.

Shaun Walker (@shaunwalker7)

The stadium is now almost full, Plushenko out on the ice. Huge chanting, flag-waving. Excellent atmosphere

France’s Anaïs Chevalier is the last woman to complete the sprint biathlon, but she cannot disrupt the medalists. So Kuzmina wins gold by a distance, Vilukhina comes second, and Vita Semerenko will take bronze for Ukraine.

3.26pm GMT

Kuzmina, whose brother came fourth yesterday representing Russia, won gold four years ago, and is 19.9sec faster than Russia’s Olga Vilukhina, who is all set for silver.

3.23pm GMT

Brown seems pleased with his skate. Meanwhile the sprint biathlon is approaching the key decisive moments. Anastasiya Kuzmina looks all set to earn gold for Slovakia, but not everyone has finished.

3.20pm GMT

Back in the luge, the third run continues. America’s 18-year-old Tucker West just completed his run, improving to 20th position.

3.16pm GMT

Next on the ice, 19-year-old Jason Brown of the USA, who will apparently do a version of the Riverdance.

3.14pm GMT

Russia ended up beating Germany 4-1, having given their fans a bit of a scare.

3.12pm GMT

Paul Parkinson is skating to an orchestral Queen medley. The We are the Champions bit is sounding a little optimistic.

3.10pm GMT

The first skater up is Paul Bonifacio Parkinson. You’ll notice that only the middle part of his name sounds Italian, and that’s because he’s from Canada. He has already slipped twice, and is still on the ice.

3.08pm GMT

We’re going to get some men’s team free skating action now. Russia are looking good for gold here, standing on 47 points with Canada on 41, USA on 34, Italy on 31 and Japan on 30. There are three events to go.

3.04pm GMT

Whatever you think about Banani and his controversial name change, I think the Olympics would have been worse off without him. We would have been denied the pleasure of seeing the official Tongan team anorak, for a start, and it was a bit special, wasn’t it?

Germany’s hopes of beating the home side at ice hockey are melting rapidly, with Russia now leading 3-1.

2.49pm GMT

Blubbing athlete of the day

The skiathlon is proper hardcore activity, and I have immense respect for anyone capable of completing it, let alone doing so faster than anyone else in the entire world. But at the same time, lachrymose athletes are funny.

Winner Dario Cologna of Switzerland is moved to tears during the flower ceremony for the men's skiathlon. Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters

2.45pm GMT

Russia have equalised against Germany in the women’s ice hockey, to great acclaim. Looked a bit disappointing defensively. “Very sensible to limit the women to the normal hill for the ski-jumping,” writes Gary Naylor. “After all, nobody would want to get it wrong flying 130 metres, but 90 metres or so is no trouble at all.”

2.43pm GMT

There are no British competitiors in the men’s luge, but there is a Tongan, Bruno Banani. He was called Fuahea Semi but changed his name in a successful bid to attract sponsorship from the German underwear firm Bruno Banani. I’m conflicted, as my natural inclination is to support Tongans who luge but to deride people who change their names to attract sponsorship cash from pants people. What to do?

2.36pm GMT

Still on the luge, Italy’s Armin Zoeggler is praised for “brave sliding” but can’t improve on third place. I’m not sure I’ve seen anyone guilty of cowardly sliding, though. When you’re on a luge, all sliding is brave sliding in my book.

2.34pm GMT

In the men’s luge, Germany’s Felix Loch has just shattered his own course record and leads the field. Albert Demchenko, Russia’s 42-year-old veteran, is second.

Felix Loch soaks up the applause after taking the lead in the luge. Photograph: Michael Sohn/AP

Updated at 2.44pm GMT

2.29pm GMT

You may be wondering, looking ahead to the ski jumping, what precisely constitutes a “normal hill”. A normal hill is one that, if you ski off it, might see you land about 95m away, and certainly no more than about 105m. This contrasts with a large hill, which might send you 30m or so further. Women are competing for the first time this year, but don’t get to jump off a large hill.

2.18pm GMT

Germany surprisingly lead Russia 1-0 in the women’s ice hockey, with two minutes of the second period remaining. The latest action, according to the BBC commentator, saw someone who “was looking for the peanut butter and probably ended up with the pickles”. I have literally no idea what this means, I’m afraid.

2.09pm GMT

In an unusual turn of fate, the front-page headline in today’s Bild is basically “Guardian live blogger slags off German Olympic uniform”. I know it says “internet” rather than “Guardian live blogger”, but their story leads on something I innocently wrote in the MBM of Friday’s opening ceremony. “It basically looks like someone has drunk a WKD and vomited on the stadium,” I wrote at the time. Don’t see what’s so bad about that.

The front page of Bild on Sunday 9 February. Photograph: Bild.de

2.03pm GMT

Hello world!

So, this is what we’ve got to look forward to today (all times GMT):

2.30pm In the luge, the third run of the men’s singles. And in biathlon, the women’s 7.5km sprint. That’s right, 7.5km counts as a sprint.

3pmFigure skating – it’s the men’s team free skate!

4.05pm Still Figure skating: The women’s team free skate

4.30pm Back to the men’s singles in the luge, with the fourth and final run.

5.10Figure skating: it’s the team ice dance free dance.

5.30pm The first round of the men’s individual normal hill ski jumping.

6.35pm Back to the normal hill, where it’s the final of the men’s individual ski jumping.

1.47pm GMT

Handover

With the square root of d. squat happening, this is probably a good time to hand over to Simon Burnton, who will continue our exclusive live coverage this afternoon. Thanks for your company. Bye!

1.38pm GMT

Great commentary moments (sort of)

“If you’re talking about commentators losing the run of themselves,” says Mike Wood, “it’d be remiss not to mention this somewhat partisan from “Classy Cas”…”

NB: Clip contains some lively language.

1.37pm GMT

Ice hockey

It’s Russia 0-0 Germany at the end of the first period. Russia have been comfortably the better side, but have been denied by 10 saves from Viona Harrer.

Russia’s ice hockey players in a huddle before their game against Germany. Photograph: Grigory Dukor/REUTERS

The latest medal table

Speed skating

Irene Wust is doing a lap of honour, her face a combination of pride, joy, disbelief and most of all relief. She was magnificent and so nearly broke the four-minute barrier.

1.18pm GMT

Lunch break

We have a quiet hour or so now before the resumption of the men’s luge and the start of the women’s 7.5km sprint in the biathlon. Russia and Germany are drawing 0-0 in the ladies’ ice hockey.

Updated at 1.27pm GMT

1.16pm GMT

Speed skating gold for Irene Wust!

Antoinette de Jong, in the last pair of the ladies’ 3000m with Masako Hozumi, fails to podium (that really shouldn’t be a verb, should it). So her fellow Dutch lady Irene Wust wins gold, the former champion Martina Sablikova takes silver – and Olga Graf wins Russia’s first medal of the Games.

Irene Wust of the Netherlands skates her way to gold in the women's 3000m. Photograph: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Updated at 1.25pm GMT

1.09pm GMT

The last two pairs in the ladies' 3000m

Next up are Irene Wust and Shiho Ishizawa. Wust is miles ahead of the elader Sablikova after five laps, 2.8 seconds. Her coach is waving his hands furiously, but everything seems nicely under control here. Sablikova has the face on; she knows she’s not going to win gold. Wust is 2.32 seconds than Sablikova going into the final lap – and she moves into the gold-medal position with a time of 4:00.34. The camera cuts to an applauding Sablikova, which is a nice touch. What a performance that was!

Updated at 1.11pm GMT

1.03pm GMT

Speed skating

Sablikova is 1.19 seconds ahead of Graf after six laps – and 1.21 ahead at the bell. She is storming towards a medal, probably gold. This is exhilarating stuff, and she finishes in a magnificent time of 4:01.94. That’s a new track record.

1.01pm GMT

Speed skating

We’re down to the last three pairs, with Olga Graf still leading. It’s time for the reigning champion Martina Sablikova of the Czech Republic.

Jenny Jones's father's reaction to his daughter's bronze medal.

It’s a very good question, but one which I am unable to answer for legal reasons. (In other words, I have no idea.)

12.50pm GMT

Speed skating

A sensational performance from the Russian Olga Graf, who moves into the lead in the ladies’ 3000m. The atmosphere was magnificent as she finished with a lifetime-best of 4:03.47.

12.45pm GMT

An email from Phil Rhodes

“Talking of great non-commentary moments this is great from the 2007 CIS Scottish League Cup final. It’s Dougie Donnelly’s introduction (after 1.05) which makes it: ‘Let’s just enjoy it for a moment or two – Sunshine on Leith’. What is Dougie Donnelly up to these days? Surely he’ll be covering the Curling in the next couple of weeks.”

What’s your favourite piece of sporting commentary? This has to be up there, especially with Geoff Boycott cackling in the background.

Updated at 12.46pm GMT

12.41pm GMT

Speed skating

We have a new leader: the Dutch lady Annouk Van Der Weijden, who roars into the lead with a time of 4:05.75, almost four seconds faster than the previous leader Yuliya Skokova.

American Jamie Anderson took gold with a mighty 95.25 with Finland’s Enni Rukajarvi was second on 92.50 but nobody else was able to dislodge Jones from her podium spot.

The British bronze medal winner’s snowboarding odyssey has taken her from an inauspicious start on a dry slope in Churchill to an Olympic podium finish.

“I started snowboarding when I was about 16, 17, at Churchill Dry Slope. I had my first half-hour lesson with my brothers,” she told a news conference.

“I didn’t learn much but I enjoyed it. I decided to go and work as a chalet maid so that I could snowboard more often.”

The start of her career was a lonely time, with few British team mates on the circuit.

“When I first started, there wasn’t a lot of us so I would travel a lot with other nationalities and hang out with other girls from other parts of Europe, but gradually there’s been an increase in British riders.”

Jones says the sport has changed considerably since then, not least in Britain, and predicted a bright future after her bronze breakthrough.

“We’ve got some great talent coming through, and it feels really nice to see that strong force from the British side of things.”

In a tense final full of thrills and spills - including a helmet cracked in a heavy crash by Czech Sarka Pancochova - Jones, second on the start list, made a beautifully clean second run to move into the lead with a score of 87.25.

She then faced an agonising wait as she watched the next 10 competitors try to take it away from her.

“It was so difficult waiting. I thought I did my best run and landed it as best as I could,” she said.

“It was very much about clean landings, no hands down and grabs,” she said as she described her medal-winning run.

“I guess we started to see that that was what they (the judges) were after. It was important to do everything as best as you probably could.”

All Britain’s previous Winter Olympic medals have come in events such as figure skating, bobsleigh and skeleton. Alain Baxter did win a bronze in the men’s slalom in the 2002 Games but he was stripped of the medal for a doping offence.

12.08pm GMT

Speed skating

The Russian Yuliya Skokova is the new leader in the ladies’ 3000m with a time of 4:09.36. There are still eight pairs to go, so it’s unlikely she’ll get a medal. Though that doesn’t seem to bother anyone at the moment: the place is going mildly doolally.

11.46am GMT

The main/sole topic of conversation in the comments section seems to be the BBC commentary of Jenny Jones’ bronze medal. It was excessive, certainly, but also pretty infectious. Anyway, here’s a reminder of the greatest commentator of them all reminding that sometimes the best thing is to say nothing at all.

“Good morning, Rob,” says Neil Mackie. “The snowboard commentary was – for someone used to Henry Jackson (often accompanied by Jamie Nicholls) on the World Tour events or Jack Mitrani at the Dew Tour/Open – relatively mild. It was also, for the main part, correct and that’s what you also want.

“It’s snowboarding, it may not be the rebel sport of the 80s and 90s, but it is not strait-laced and there’s a certain amount of individuality to it that is reflected in the riders and the commentators.

“As an aside, if anyone is ever interested about the ongoing feud within snowboarding, and those who still maintain boycotts against the Olympics then this is a good read.

“That interview further demonstrates – if more evidence is ever needed – how the IOC are in it for themselves and only for themselves particularly as the riders’ sponsors cannot make mention of them or list them on their sites while they are competing at the Olympics.”

11.35am GMT

If you want some Sunday morning reading

Speed skating

Shoko Fujimura and Yekaterina Shikhova get things going. There are 14 pairs in all. The defending champion Martina Sablikova is up 12th, with Irene Wust straight after her. Fujimura sets the bar with a time of 4:12.71.

Updated at 11.36am GMT

11.13am GMT

The next event is the ladies’ 3000m speed-skating, which starts in around 2o minutes’ time, with Irene Wust and Martina Sablikova probably the two to watch.

Updated at 11.16am GMT

11.09am GMT

Gold for Dario Cologna!

That was a fantastic finish to the men’s 30km skiathlon. Cologna wins in a time of 1:08:15.4, a fraction ahead of Marcus Hellner (1:08:15.8). The bronze goes to Martin Sundby, who pipped Maxim Vylegzhanin.

Jenny Jones on her bronze medal

It feels amazing. I cannot believe it, I just can’t believe it. I knew I was going to drop but I didn’t know how far. I am just so happy. It was so difficult waiting. I thought I did my best run and landed it as best as I could. With the course the way it was, I did my best run.

11.02am GMT

“On the more, er... gnarly events, the commentary should go the full WWE,” says Gary Naylor. “And, following through, shouldn’t the competitors use nicknames too? The Snow Queen? The SuperSlider? The Snow Show? Or, you know, good ones.”

10.59am GMT

Skiathlon

An email

“So just popped online to see people’s reactions to the commentary,” says Amir Adhamy. “I cannot believe I’m alone in finding them unbearably annoying. They’re like hungover teenagers, talking over each other and yelping. It’s giving me a headache – I came here to zone out and watch people in hyper trendy fluffy clothes do cool stuff in snow. Ugh. Call me a naysayer.”